Smashboard signal



Sept. 8, 1936.

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HIS ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES SMASHBOARD SIGNAL Herbert L. Bone, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 10, 1935; Serial No. 20,739

4 Claims. (01346-486) My invention relates to smashboard signals,

that is, to signals which are so designed that the signal arm, commonly called a smashboard, will be struck by a train and broken if the train 6 passes the signal when the smashboard occupies its stop position.

One object of my invention is to provide a smashboard signal of the type described that is suitable for use on multiple track electrified roads 10- at locations where clearance conditions make it necessary toobtain the stop and clear positions by moving the smashboard vertically through a relatively large distance.

Another object of my invention is to provide a 16 signal of the type described which can be constructed at aminimum cost, and which will require a minimum amount of maintenance and upkeep.

I will describe one form of smashboard signal 20 embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

i In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a signal embodying my invention mounted on a signalbridge in the preferred 25 manner. Fig. 2' is aleft-hand side view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in both views.

Referring to the drawings, a signal embodying 30. my invention isadapted tobe-mounted above the track over' which it governs traffic, and as here shown it is mounted in a framework A secured to a signal bridge B directly above a track C. The signal bridge B maybe of any preferred construc- 35 tion, but as here shown it is of the usual type employed onmultiple track electric roads for the purpose of supporting the usual signals, overhead trolley lines, feeder wires, and the-like. The framework A is intended to serve not only as a support for the signal, but also as a convenient means for securing access to the signal to facilitate inspection and maintenance, and it may comprise any construction which is suitable for its intended purpose. In the form illustrated, it comprises angle bars I secured together, as by Welding, to form a rectangular box-like construction, the upper part of which supports an upper platform 2, and the lower part of which supports a lower platform 3. The upper platform 2 is substantially on a level with the top of the signal bridge, and the construction of the framework is such that it forms a railing around the three sides of the platform 2 which are disposed 55 away from the signal bridge. To permit ready access to the lower platform 3, a ladder 4- is provided between the upper and lower platforms;

The signal proper comprises a smashboard' 5 secured to the lower end of a vertical rod 6 which ispivotally attached, at vertically spaced points, 5 to upper and'lower arms I and B by means of horizontal pivot pins l and 8 mounted in the outer ends of these arms. For reasons which will become apparent as the description proceeds, it is desirable that the arms 1 and 8 should be 10 rigid and yet light in weight, and. to this end these arms are preferably constructed of structural members in the manner shown, although this particular construction is not essential to my invention. The upper arm 1 is secured at its lower end to a horizontal shaft 9 which is journaled in bearings l0 secured to certain ones of the angle bars I forming part of the framework A, while the lower arm 8 is similarly secured to a horizontal shaft [2- which is journaled inbearings 13- secured to certain other angle bars I- also forming part of the framework A. The lower 3 arm 8 is similar in all respects to the upper arm l with the exception that the side pieces 8 of the lower arm extend past the shaft l2 and are provided with ccunterweights I5. The parts are so proportioned that the upper and lower arms I and 8 are free to rotate through an angle of substantially 90 between an upper position in which they are disposed at an angle of substantially 45 above the horizontal and a lower position in which they are disposed at an angle of substantially 45 below the horizontal, and that during rotation of the arms from one position to the other" they will remain substantially parallel. The parts are further so proportioned that when the arms occupy their upper positions, the smashboa-rd 5willbe raised to what 1? shall term its clear position, in which position it will be out of the path of a train passing the signal on thetrack C; but that, when the arms 1 and Bare rotated totheir lower positions, the smashboard 5 will then be lowered to what I shall term its stop position, in which latter position a locomotive passing the signal will strike the smash- 5 board and break it, thus warning the engineman that traffic conditions in advance are dangerous. The weights of the counterweights l5 are such that these counterweights will approximately balance the weights of the two arms 1 and 8, the 5 vertical rod 6 and the smashboard 5.

The arms 1 and 8 may be moved to their upper and lower positions to move the smashboard 5 to its clear and stop positions by any suitable form of operating mechanism. As here shown, these arms are operated by a standard switch movement M through the medium of an operating rod I6, the upper end of which is connected with the actuating member I! of the mechanism M, and the lower end of which is connected with a crank l 8 secured to the shaft l2. The switch movement M may comprise any of the well-known switch movements of either the electric or pneumatic types, so long as it is provided with a circuit controller which will indicate when the mechanism occupies its two extreme positions, the particular mechanism here illustrated being of the pneumatic type shown and described in an application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 665,914, filed by me on April 13, 1933, for Railway switch operating apparatus. The lock rods and point detector rods, as well as certain other parts shown in the patent just referred to are, of course, not required when the switch movement is used in my present invention and these parts are therefore omitted from the drawings.

As shown in the drawings, the smashboard 5 occupies its upper or clear position. When it is desired to move the smashboard to its lower or stop position, the switch movement M is energized through suitable control mechanism of wellknown construction forming no part of my present invention and therefore not shown in the drawings. This causes the operating rod 5 to move downwardly which movement, in turn, causes the smashboard 5 to move from its clear to its stop position. When the smashboard has reached its stop position, indication circuits not shown are completed through the circuit controller of the switch movement to indicate that the smashboard is then in its stop position Where it will be struck by a train should the train pass it. It should be noted that the smashboard is not moved to its stop position by gravity, and that it is prevented from moving in both its stop and clear positions by the cam arrangement of the switch and lock movement.

When it is desired to move the smashboard to its clear position, the switch movement is energized through the control circuits, and the action under these conditions is the reverse of that just described. An indication circuit is completed through the switch movement circuit controller when the smashboard has reached its clear position.

One advantage of a smashboard signal embodying my invention is that it provides a convenient means for obtaining the large amount of vertical movement which is necessary to operate the smashboard under the conditions where this type of signal is required.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of smashboard signal embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A railway signal comprising two arms pivotally supported above a railway track for rotation about vertically spaced horizontal axes, a vertical rod pivotally attached to the free ends of said arms in such manner that said arms will remain substantially parallel when they are rotated about their pivotal supports, means for rotating said arms, and a smashboard secured to said rod.

2. A railway signal comprising a supporting framework disposed above a railway track, two arms pivotally supported at one end in said framework at vertically spaced points for rotation about horizontal axes, a vertical rod pivotally attached to the free ends of said arms in such manner that said arms will remain substantially parallel when said arms are rotated about their pivotal supports, a smashboard secured to the lower end of said rod, and means for rotating said arms to raise and lower said smashboard between an upper position in which said smashboard is out of the path of a train traversing said track and a lower position in which said smashboard projects into the path of a train traversing said track.

3. In combination, a signal bridge spanning a railway track, a framework secured to said bridge, two arms pivotally supported in said framework at vertically spaced points for rotation about horizontal axes, a vertical rod pivotally attached to the free ends of said arms in such manner that said arms will remain substantially parallel and said rod will remain substantially vertical when said arms are rotated about their pivotal supports, a smashboard secured to the lower end of said rod, and means including a switch movement for rotating said arms to move said smashboard to an upper or clear position and a lower or stop position.

4. In combination, a signal bridge spanning a railway track, a framework secured to said bridge, two vertically spaced horizontal shafts rotatably mounted in said framework, two arms secured to said two shafts respectively to rotate therewith and each provided at their free ends with a pivot pin, a vertical rod pivotally attached to said two arms by means of said pivot pins in such HERBERT L. BONE. 

